Weekly Round-up August 12-16

Dear Colleagues,

The situation in the Middle East remains extraordinarily tense and unstable as Israel still anticipates a major strike by Iran, potentially in coordination with one or more of its proxies in Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, and Syria. Negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza have concluded in Doha, with plans to reconvene next week in Cairo. Qatar has asked Iran to forego attacking Israel while the talks continue. The US has boosted its military assets in the region and is ready to help defend Israel if necessary. 

For more on the perilous  situation in the Middle East, see yesterday’s Israel Update and Tuesday’s Community Mobilization Center Action Dispatch.

As we prepare for October 7, 2024, we have launched our October 7th: Marking One Year website. The site lists all the community-wide commemorations across the US and Canada that Federations are leading and includes additional resources and actions to support your efforts.

To submit your event, please click here. The website also offers a series of actions that individuals and communities can take to honor the fallen and heroes and to demonstrate solidarity with Israel. Our toolkitwill be regularly updated with new assets to assist with your planning; we have just added several new speakers who are available to visit your community.

This week, we also launched Serve Israel, which provides two different funding opportunities for Federations and partner organizations to create either 7-10-day or 4-week service trips to volunteer in Israel. For FAQs and grant application links, please visit serveisraelgrants.org. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until funding is exhausted. Please apply by Tuesday, October 1 for 7-10 day trips and Monday, November 4 for 4-week experiences to allow for sufficient planning time. Please reach out to us for more details at serveisrael@jewishfederations.org. 

We wish a hearty Mazal Tov to Yehuda Setton, who just has been elected CEO of The Jewish Agency for Israel. Yehuda, who as COO and chief program officer currently manages the organization’s global activities in 66 countries, will replace Amira Ahronoviz at the end of her six-year term in October. Jewish Federations wish him the best of luck and look forward to continuing our excellent working relationship with him as he takes on this new role. We also express our profound gratitude for Amira for all her truly extraordinary work and dedication during such a tumultuous period in the history of the Jewish State. 

We spoke out this week in support of the ruling by the US District Court that UCLA discriminated against Jewish students by allowing them to be denied access to portions of the campus. We hope that this puts other campuses on notice that Jewish students’ rights must be protected. Please join us on Thursdays from 2 to 2:30 pm ET for our series on how to deal with this issue, which is sure to be back in the headlines as the new school year begins.  Please sign up here; registration is required, but you are welcome to share the links. Also, please see these standards that we and other major Jewish organizations have urged universities to adopt and consult these campus advocacy resources.

In addition, please note that the bipartisan CAMPUS Act was signed into law in Ohio. We have prepared an internal-use-only issue brief that can help you to advocate for the passage of a similar bill in your home state.

Yesterday’s webinar on protecting synagogues from violent attacks was just the first installment in Secure Community Network (SCN)’s annual series on safety during the High Holidays. Please sign up for the other upcoming webinars.

For additional updates and reminders, please see below.

General Assembly 2024: Please register and help spread the word about the 2024 General Assembly, which will take place from November 10 - 12, 2024 in Washington, DC. The General Assembly will focus on the most pressing, timely issues facing our communities in North America and around the world. Registrants will also secure their spots at the Unity Event that will take place the afternoon of November 10 at Nationals Park. If you have questions or are looking for additional resources to support your recruitment efforts, check out the FAQs or reach out to Adina Schwartz.

Service Projects in the US: Repair the World is offering microgrants of up to $1,000 for Federations and other Jewish organizations to host service programs in the US between September 15 and October 15. The aim is to activate over 3,000 volunteers in acts of service and Jewish learning as we commemorate the anniversary of October 7th. Applications will be approved on a rolling basis until funds are depleted.

Overview of Professional Development Opportunities: We offer Jewish Federation professionals across North America opportunities to learn and grow. Please review our robust schedule of upcoming programs. Bookmark the page and check back often as new ones are added weekly!

Creating a Culture of Candor and Safety: This workshop for senior leaders will take place on Tuesday, August 20 from 1 to 2:30 pm ET. It will be led by workplace climate expert Fran Sepler, who will offer both practical guidance and Federation-focused case studies. Please register here and read more about the session here.

Dues Process Webinar: Every year, Federations complete a Revenue Survey. This allows us to benchmark Federation revenues, and to capture our system’s collective financial impact. Another way we use this data is to calculate the dues amounts for Federations. Dues payments make up a significant portion of our operating budget and enable us to support local Federations in building flourishing Jewish communities. Join a webinar on Friday, August 23 at 1:30 pm ET to learn more about this process and how we use this data.

Rosh Hashanah Toolkit: Rosh Hashanah is just around the corner! Inspire your community to imagine a brighter future together with our marketing toolkit, including engaging social media posts, a stirring video that celebrates unity and hope, and a direct mail letter to spark meaningful conversations and drive donations.

Leading Edge Guides: Leading Edge has just released two new guides — one for board members and one for board chairs. These cover all the essentials of how to be an effective board member and how to be an effective board chair. Please share them with the lay leaders in your community.

Person-Centered, Trauma-Informed (PCTI) Care: Learn about the prevalence of trauma among employees and volunteers, and how the  Person-Centered, Trauma-Informed Approach can foster a sense of safety in our workplaces and allow for greater likelihood of achieving our goals. This webinar by  Alana Knoppow, Project Manager at our Center on Aging, Trauma, and Holocaust Survivor Care, will take place on Tuesday, September 24 from 1 to 2:30 pm ET. Through demonstrations, case studies, and facilitated group discussion, participants will gain resources to apply their learning in practical and actionable ways.

International Lion of Judah Conference: Registration for the 2025 International Lion of Judah Conference in Atlanta, GA, is now closed as we have reached capacity. To join the waitlist, please visit lionconference.org. If you have any questions, please contact Mandy Kaiser-Blueth.

Shabbat Shalom,

Shira Hutt
Executive Vice President
Jewish Federations of North America